Drug testing and analysis
June 1, 2021
Islam Amine Larabi, Fanny Zerizer, Alice Ameline et al.
23 citations
A new ketamine analogue, deschloro-N-ethyl-ketamine (O-PCE), involved in severe intoxications and deaths, was metabolically profiled for the first time. After incubating O-PCE with human liver microsomes and analyzing urine and hair from a 43-year-old male user using high-resolution mass spectrometry, 15 metabolites were identified. Nine metabolites detected in urine extended the detection window after O-PCE itself was no longer present. The five most abundant urinary markers were 2-en-PCA-N-Glu (34%), M3 (16%), O-PCA-N-Glu (15.4%), OH-O-PCE (15%), and OH-PCE (11.9%). In hair, nine metabolites appeared; OH-PCA dominated (78%) with a metabolite-to-parent-drug ratio of 6, making it the best marker for long-term monitoring of O-PCE exposure.
Forensic sciences research
January 1, 2021
Nadia Arbouche, Pascal Kintz, Cecile Zagdoun et al.
16 citations
A fatal intoxication case involving the new psychoactive substance 3-MeO-PCP is reported. The drug, a potent NMDA receptor agonist, was detected in femoral blood at 3,525 ng/mL and urine at 7,384 ng/mL, a blood concentration exceeding previously reported fatal ranges (50–3,200 ng/mL). For the first time, metabolites were identified in blood, including two newly discovered ones: O-demethyl-piperidine-OH-3-MeO-PCP and O-demethyl-cyclohexyl-OH. However, due to unavailable reference standards, metabolite concentrations could not be measured. Low metabolite-to-parent drug ratios (<1) suggest that testing for metabolites does not extend the detection window for this drug.
International journal of legal medicine
July 1, 2021
Pascal Kintz, Jean-Sébastien Raul, Alice Ameline
8 citations
Hair and toenail samples collected seven months after a murder showed traces of the new psychoactive substances 25I-NBOMe (2 pg/mg in axillary hair, 1 pg/mg in toenails) and 4-MMC (6 pg/mg in axillary hair, 5 pg/mg in toenails), while head hair tested negative. The negative head hair result ruled out drug exposure in the four months before collection and external contamination. Combining the detection windows of axillary hair (about 4 to 8 months) and toenails (up to 8 months) allowed the authors to conclude that the positive findings are more likely than not consistent with consumption of both substances at the time of the crime.
Journal of analytical toxicology
July 22, 2023
Alice Ameline, Morgane Baudry, Delphine Garnier et al.
1 citation
A 38-year-old man with a history of drug addiction was found dead at home with two bags of powder. Toxicological analysis of his blood detected 3-hydroxyphencyclidine (3-OH-PCP) at 524 ng/mL, the highest concentration ever reported in the literature. Other drugs found in his blood included nordiazepam, methylphenidate, amisulpride, methadone, and benzoylecgonine at levels typical of recreational abuse. Hair testing showed 3-OH-PCP at 174 pg/mg, suggesting chronic use. Analysis of the powders identified 3-OH-PCP and 5-methoxy-dimethyltryptamine with purities of 85.4% and 91.3%, respectively. 3-OH-PCP is a derivative of phencyclidine that acts on the NMDA receptor with higher affinity than phencyclidine.